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Apple Releases Multiple Hardware-Related Updates

Normally we’d cover Apple’s hardware-related updates individually, but since there are so many of them and so few details, we decided to lump them all together. With the firmware updates, be sure not to interrupt the update process because doing so could brick your Mac. In general, we recommend getting firmware and other hardware-related updates; Software Update is the best method of installing the right ones, since it can be difficult to ascertain what exact model Mac you have.

MacBook Pro Video Update 1.0 (70.97 MB): Apple says that this update fixes a problem where the 15-inch MacBook Pro (Mid 2010) may intermittently freeze or stop displaying video. In a related support article, Apple says this applies only to a small number of these computers, and this update should resolve the problem for people running Mac OS X 10.7.2 Lion. For those experiencing the problem under 10.6 Snow Leopard, hardware service may be necessary — Apple promises to fix affected machines for two years after the date of purchase. Anecdotally, one TidBITS reader told us that he hadn’t experienced the problem at all under Snow
Leopard; it was brought out by upgrading to Lion. Luckily, the update seems to have resolved his crashes.

MacBook Pro EFI Firmware Update 2.3 (4.17 MB): All Apple says is that this update improves the stability of the MacBook Pro (Early 2011) and is recommended for all users; it’s compatible with both 10.6.8 and 10.7 and later. It includes the previous changes in MacBook Pro EFI Firmware Update 2.2 that enable Lion Recovery from an Internet connection and provide fixes for those using the Thunderbolt Display or Thunderbolt Target Disk Mode.

MacBook Air EFI Firmware Update 2.2 (4.0 MB): Similarly, Apple says only that this update “fixes several issues to improve the stability of the MacBook Air (Mid 2011)” — it works only in 10.7. It also builds in the Lion Recovery and Thunderbolt fixes in MacBook Air EFI Firmware Update 2.1.

Mac mini EFI Firmware Update 1.4 (4.01 MB): For owners of the Mac mini (Mid 2011), this firmware update offers what are likely the same fixes as the previous one — they’re certainly described identically.

iMac EFI Update 1.7 (3.69 MB): This update provides fixes for the previously described Lion Recovery and Thunderbolt issues for the iMac (Early 2011), running either 10.6.8 or 10.7 or later. Amusingly, something about Apple’s publishing system initially pulled a Bondi blue iMac icon for this update, even though it’s only for the very latest iMacs. (Apple has now fixed the icon.)

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